1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fishing equipment, and more specifically to a fisherman's trolling release device.
2. Description of the Related Art
When fishing for walleye or other fish that tend to be spooked easily by a boat motor, planer board trolling becomes an attractive method for catching the most fish. In using a planer board trolling method, the planer board is mounted to a tow line, which is attached to the boat. The planer board is released into the water while the boat is at a trolling speed, which creates enough force, due to the shape of the board, to pull the planer board laterally away from the sides of the boat to a distance determined by the length of the tow line. Once the planer boards are in place, typically one on each side of the boat, the fisherman releases his lure to a selected distance behind the boat and attaches a release clip to the fishing line.
A conventional release clip has a loop end, which is typically made of a metal shower curtain-like clip mounted to a spring loaded clamp, which can be made from a clothes pin or electrical clip. There are many release clips on the market, however, most have the same standard features as the one described here. The clamp end of the release clip is attached to a rubber band, which is attached to the fishing line, and the loop of the clip is clipped onto the tow line during use.
Once the release clip is in place, the fisherman releases fishing line from the reel, which allows the release clip to slide down the tow line and away from the boat. Finally, the fisherman sets the clicker and drag on his fishing reel and puts the rod in the rod holder of the boat.
When a fish “hits” the line and gets caught on the lure or hook, the fishing line is released from the release clip due to the force of the fish on the lure. This force pulls the fishing line from the clamp of the release clip, and the fishing line is directed to the rear of the boat so as to not tangle with the other line or lines. The fisherman then attempts to land the fish.
After the fishing line is released from the clamp, the clip remains attached to the tow line and slides down the tow line to the planer board where it comes to rest. The fisherman then begins the process of adding another release clip to the tow line in order to reset his fishing line. At the end of the day the clips are retrieved by reeling in the tow lines, and may include unclipping each release clip individually from the tow lines and placing the release clips in a bucket or storage container on the boat.
There are several disadvantages to the conventional release clips on the market. The weight of the accumulated release clips on the planer board tends to weigh the planar boards down, thereby dragging the planer boards toward the rear of the boat. This is undesirable because the rear of the boat is where the fisherman “fights” the fish on their line. If the planer board is near the rear of the boat then the fishing lines attached to the tow line also move toward the rear of the boat causing the fishing lines to become tangled.
In addition, the majority of the conventional release clips have a multitude of mechanical parts. These parts are typically made of metal and begin to rust or wear out quickly and therefore, must be replaced more often. The spring loaded clamp could also fail during trolling, which would release the fishing line prematurely causing the fisherman to lose the use of that line. Also, the conventional release clips are costly to manufacture.
Furthermore, when the fisherman is finished fishing for the day, and he pulls in the tow lines and planer boards, the fisherman has to compress the spring of each clip, move it slightly to the side and then release it before removing the release clip from the tow line. Each of the conventional release clips may have to be removed individually, which can be very time consuming and increases the risk of losing one during removal.
Therefore, there is a need for a device that is light weight and easy to use during planer board fishing.